Central donated fire truck to training facility

Central Volunteer Fire Department has donated a 1983 E-1 pumper truck to Pike County for training emergency responders. [This story corrects a report in the July 31st edition indicating the truck was from Lackawaxen Fire Department.]

[This story corrects a report in the July 31st edition indicating the truck was from Lackawaxen Fire Department.]

Vince Albanese, President of Central Volunteer in Bohemia, said that the donation was made with full agreement by the Department, and with support from the Lackawaxen Township Supervisors.

The truck was delivered to the Pike County Training Center last month. The Center, which also include 9-1-1 communications and Emergency Management Agency offices, is located in Blooming Grove Township and was dedicated in June 2012. The Center provides a centralized location for fire companies and other emergency response organizations to train together.

By donating the truck, fire companies will have an apparatus ready to use rather than bringing one of their own vehicles for training.

Albanese said that the truck had been in use by the fire department in Manville, NJ, where Albanese had been chief for six years before moving to Pennsylvania. Central Volunteer purchased the truck from the department in Manville with their own funds, for use as a back-up apparatus.

Central made use of it for five years, and was also available to the other three fire companies in Lackawaxen Township as a back-up. Central has recently ordered a new fire truck, and will use a different truck as a back-up.

He said that the pumper they donated has only 9,000 miles on it and is in good condition. Central decided for what they get for it had they sold it, they would rather donate it to the County for the benefit of all the local fire companies to train.

In July, the Pike County Commissioners accepted the gift, with their thanks.

"I just wanted you to address that more as we, as a board graciously accept this from both Central and the people of Lackawaxen, we say thank you," said Richard Caridi, Chairman of the Board of Commissioners. "This is a great benefit to our county and to our facility and to train young volunteers as well as current firefighters. So we want to make sure they get the credits they deserve for this generous donation."